The shampooing of hair conventionally is performed utilizing any of numerous detersive surfactant-containing compositions known in the art. However, the combination of frequent shampooing, environmental factors, and the natural condition of one's hair can result in the hair not having a healthy, lustrous appearance. In particular heavily damaged hair looks matted and dull. One of the most effective ways of addressing this problem is through the use of hair conditioning compositions that improve the shine of the hair. A highly effective technology for this purpose is the use of a combination of a high refractive index polysiloxane fluid, such as phenylated polysiloxane, with a spreading agent, such as a polysiloxane resin as disclosed in WO 94/08557 (Brock et al., Procter & Gamble, published Apr. 28, 1994).
It is also highly desirable to provide hair treatment compositions, especially leave-on compositions that can improve the appearance of hair without the heaviness of other conditioners, which can make hair feel unwashed. This can be important for hair care products containing the above combination of phenylated silicone and spreading agent since they can impart to the hair a coated feeling that is not especially desirable on the part of the consumer. This problem is exacerbated by leave-on products. Although leave-on products are highly desirable from the standpoint of providing excellent shine to the hair versus rinse-off products, they can result in excess phenylated silicone/spreading agent being left on the hair, and this can have detrimental effects upon clean hair feel, such as silicone bridges between individual hairs imparting a wet or greasy feeling to the consumer such as achieved with the products of JP 3948666 B2.
Sensates such as menthol and camphor can be used in leave-on products to provide a sense of refreshment, however these do not totally overcome the issue of overall hair heaviness, which must include a solution the hair feeling coated by the phenylated silicone/spreading agent combination. WO00/06100A1 and WO00/06107 (both Young et al., Procter & Gamble, published Feb. 10, 2000) suggest solving this problem by using ethanol containing compositions under certain conditions. Ethanol however must be used at relatively high levels in order to achieve maximum levels of refreshment and clean hair feel. Unfortunately when used at these levels, ethanol can cause the scalp to become dried out, leading to the skin feeling itchy or to suffer from flaking. In addition, ethanol may cause drying of the hair.
It is an object of this invention to provide hair care compositions, especially leave-on compositions that can provide excellent shine without drying out the hair and without imparting wet or greasy look and heavy feeling to the hair.